Assembly and method for a vehicle

Abstract

Assembly comprising a vehicle ( 13, 13 a - c ) having a plurality of wheels ( 2 ), each of the wheels ( 2 ) arranged to support a weight of the vehicle ( 13 ) against an underlying surface ( 5 ); a sensor ( 10 ) operable to measure a force between one of the wheels ( 2 ) and a body of the vehicle ( 13, 13 a - c ); and a processor ( 15 ) configured to receive measurement data from the sensor ( 10 ). There is also provided a method for measuring conditions of a drive surface ( 5 ) and a method of operating vehicles ( 13, 13 a - d ) on a road ( 5 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An assembly for measuring one or more forces acting on one of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle and for determining surface condition(s) of a road surface including at least rolling resistance,
 each of the plurality of wheels being arranged to support a weight of the vehicle against the underlying road surface, the assembly comprising: 
 a force sensor operable to measure a force between one of the plurality of wheels and a body of the vehicle as the vehicle is moving; and 
 a processor configured to receive measurement data from the force sensor, 
 wherein the force sensor is a single sensor that is arranged to measure the forces working on a nave of the one of the plurality of wheels and is configured to measure a force (Fx) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in a substantially horizontal direction, a force (Fy) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in a substantially vertical direction, and a force acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in any direction different from the horizontal and the vertical; and 
 wherein the processor is configured to obtain a road condition parameter from the force sensor by logging a series of force measurements from the force sensor at a plurality of different vehicle speeds; logging the vehicle speeds; and calculating the road condition parameter as a function of at least the series of force measurements and the vehicle speed; and 
 wherein the road condition parameter represents surface condition(s) of the road surface including at least a measured rolling resistance of the one of the plurality of wheels on the road surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to display the measurement data to a driver of the vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises a data transmitter operable to transmit the measurement data from the force sensor to a receiver outside the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. A method for measuring conditions of a drive surface including at least the rolling resistance of the drive surface, the method comprising:
 providing an assembly for measuring one or more forces acting on one of a plurality wheels of a vehicle, each of the plurality of wheels being arranged to support a weight of the vehicle against the underlying drive surface,
 wherein said assembly comprises:
 a force sensor configured to measure a force between said one of the plurality of wheels and a body of the vehicle as the vehicle is moving; and 
 a processor configured to receive measurement data from the force sensor, 
 wherein the force sensor is a single sensor that is arranged to measure the forces working on a nave of the wheel and is operable to measure a force (Fx) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in a substantially horizontal direction, a force (Fy) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in a substantially vertical direction, and a force acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the vehicle in any direction different from the horizontal and the vertical; 
 
 
 driving a vehicle having the assembly on the drive surface; and 
 logging a series of force measurements from the force sensor at a plurality of different vehicle speeds; logging the vehicle speeds; and calculating a road condition parameter, the road condition parameter being a function of at least the series of force measurements and the vehicle speed, wherein the road condition parameter represents surface condition(s) of the drive surface including at least a measured rolling resistance of the one of the plurality of wheels on the drive surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , comprising:
 transmitting the series of force measurements to a receiver outside the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 transmitting a series of geographical coordinates, each geographical coordinate in the series of geographical coordinates corresponding to a respective force measurement in the series of force measurements. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , comprising:
 transmitting the series of force measurements from a plurality of vehicles to the receiver. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , comprising:
 transmitting the surface condition parameter to a plurality of vehicles from the receiver. 
 
     
     
       9. A method of operating vehicles on a road, using an assembly for measuring one or more forces acting on one of a plurality wheels of each vehicle, each of the plurality of wheels being arranged to support a weight of a corresponding vehicle against an underlying road surface,
 wherein said assembly comprises:
 a force sensor that is arranged to measure the forces working on a nave of the wheel and is operable to measure a force between said one of the plurality of wheels and a body of the corresponding vehicle as the vehicle is moving; and 
 a processor configured to receive measurement data from the force sensor, 
 wherein the force sensor is a single sensor configured to measure a force (Fx) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the corresponding vehicle in a substantially horizontal direction, a force (Fy) acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the corresponding vehicle in a substantially vertical direction, and a force acting from the one of the plurality of wheels on the corresponding vehicle in any direction different from the horizontal and the corresponding vertical; 
 
 the method comprising: 
 obtaining a road condition parameter from the force sensor at a first vehicle of the vehicles on the road by logging a series of force measurements from the force sensor at a plurality of different vehicle speeds; logging the vehicle speeds; and calculating the road condition parameter as a function of at least the series of force measurements and the vehicle speed; and 
 transmitting the road condition parameter and a geographical location parameter, the geographical location parameter being representative of the location at which the road condition parameter was obtained, to a central computing system; 
 wherein the road condition parameter represents: 
 a measured rolling resistance of the one of the plurality of wheels on the road surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising
 obtaining road condition parameters from each of force sensors arranged at the vehicles. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising performing a road maintenance action at the location. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising transmitting road condition data from the central computing system to a second vehicle of the vehicles on the road, the road condition data comprising information on a road condition on at least one location. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein each force sensor is arranged between the wheel of each vehicle and the wheel suspension, and the method further comprises operating each force sensor to measure:
 a rolling resistance of the wheel on the road; and/or 
 a friction between the wheel and the road; and/or 
 a force acting from the wheel on the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel, i.e. horizontally, in a vertical direction, or in any other directions.